The second annual Festus Winterfest will be held from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday (Dec. 2) and will offer a wide variety of family friendly activities and entertainment along Main Street.
Once again the highlight will be an ice skating rink, but this year, it will be a significantly larger one.
“The ice skating rink is going to be 50-by-60 feet” said Barb Lowry, the Festus director of sports and marketing. “The one we had last year was 40-by-50 and held about 50 skaters. This year’s holds about 75 skaters.”
The rink will be set up on the Festus Library parking lot, 400 W. Main St., and the charge to skate will be $2 for a half-hour, with skates included, or $1 for those who use their own ice skates.
There also will be a petting zoo from noon to 7 p.m. behind Main Street between Mill and Adams streets.
New this year will be performances by Circus Kaput, a St. Louis entertainment business.
“There will be a fire performance (including flaming baton twirling and related fire entertainment),” Lowry said. “The fire performer will be at the corner of Main and Palliet Street from 3 to 4 p.m. They’ll have a juggler stroll down Main Street from 1 to 2 p.m. Circus Kaput will also do face painting and have a caricaturist from 11 to 4. From 11 to 12 a magician will walk along Main Street.”
Children also will enjoy inflatables that will be set up across from the library at the First United Methodist Church.
“We’re going to have an Everest Slide that adults and kids can go on,” she said. “It’s a new feature. There’s Frosty Bounce House for adults and kids and a Gingerbread Bounce for kids 4 and under.”
There will be no cost to watch the Circus Kaput performances or play on the inflatables, Lowry said.
The Santa House in Schneider Park at the corner of Main and Mill streets will be open, with visits from Santa scheduled at 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.; 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.; and 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
“Bring your own camera,” Lowry said. “It’s free to see Santa, but we will accept food donations the Ozark Pantry and cash donations for the Festus Police Shop With a Cop program.”
Winterfest actually opens with Breakfast with Santa from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at First United Methodist Church. No reservations are necessary, but freewill donations will be accepted.
City of Festus representatives will light the town’s giant Christmas tree at Schneider Park at 4:30 p.m., Lowry said.
“The world champion Festus Rocket Club will light the tree,” she said. “Contest winners will be announced at that time.”
Area choirs will perform Christmas carols at the Santa House, and vendors will sell their wares along Main Street from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“I would like very much to have this (event) every year,” Lowry said. “It’s a great way to kick off the Christmas season. And, it’s very wallet-friendly for families. We want people to be able to come out and bring their families and friends. “
For more information, call Lowry at the Festus Public Works, 636-937-6646, or visit the Festus website at www.cityoffestus.org or its Facebook page.